“People kept commenting on my eyes,” recalled second-year Charis Bible College Colorado student Laurie Wegner. “At first, I thought it was just because I was pasty white with green eyes. But then a man told me that he could see God in my eyes and that it was beautiful.”

Every year, hundreds of second-year students from Charis Colorado are sent out to over a dozen different countries, putting their curriculum into practice. The very same message of God’s love and grace that has been transforming their lives for two years pours out of them in ways that they never thought possible. Such was the case with the 2016 missions trip to Costa Rica, where students saw firsthand the power of God’s love for His children.

“One afternoon, we went door-to-door praying for people and inviting them to a church service in the community later that evening,” Laurie continued. “At one of the homes, we began talking with a young woman when an older man came out. He seemed a bit apprehensive and not sure that he wanted us there. We asked if we could pray for him, but he wouldn’t let us.

“As we talked, I noticed that he would glance at me and quickly look away. At one point, he even interrupted the interpreter and asked where I was from. After that, he wouldn’t look at me at all. He mentioned that he had been separated from his wife for twenty-three years. He always thought that he would grow up to be a pastor, but he assumed it was too late now.”

After they had talked a little while longer, Laurie said they invited him to the service that night; however, they weren’t sure if he would actually come. But to Laurie and the team’s surprise, he showed up. He looked uncomfortable and ready to bolt at any moment, until one of the team members began to preach words right into this man’s heart.

“After church, a couple of us went to go pray with him,” Laurie said. “He confessed that he had been having thoughts of killing his girlfriend, and he didn’t want to think that way anymore. After we prayed, the man looked directly into my eyes and said, ‘Your eyes, whoa!’ He kissed me on the cheek and left.”

The fruit of this trip continues to manifest as students recall the moments God used them to spread His love in Costa Rica. “When they told us we were going to stand on the street corners with signs that say Free Hugs, my flesh wanted to start arguing,” admitted student Robert Paige. “But as people were hurrying past us, they would look down at the sign and slow down. They would stop, turn around, and stand in front of the sign, crying. Finally, they would lay their heads on our shoulders and weep. After several people did this, you couldn’t get that sign away from me!

“It doesn’t matter what country you go to or what language barrier there is,” continued Robert. “People are hurting. We all have a story to tell. Everyone wants to be loved.”

As a partner with Andrew Wommack Ministries, you are enabling Robert, Laurie, and hundreds of other students to be sent out to minister this love to lost and hurting people. Not only are the students impacted forever, but countless others around the world are also experiencing the love of the Father—some for the very first time.